Baseball
by myshadowspirit
Summary: When it becomes apparent to Naruto that the great Uchiha Sasuke has no skills when it comes to girls, he makes it a challenge to see who can make it around all the bases and into home run first.
1. Chapter 1

"I want children."

Sakura slowly looked up from her miso soup to see that Sasuke was staring at her. Her expression did not change from its meek bitterness that Sasuke had come to know as part of the 'new Sakura', though why she was now like that he had no understanding.

Sakura's expression did not change, no, but the sight of Sasuke's face did cause her to lose thought for a moment. She still hadn't completely masked that weakness yet. The sight of Sasuke's face had always been so dangerous to her, and that small moment hid away the strangeness of his sudden statement. She looked him in the eye, without smile. "I hope you will some day."

Then her attention went back to her soup, much to Sasuke's annoyance.

"So you are agreeing?"

Sakura's eyelids turned up slightly, but she stared unseeingly. "What are you saying, Sasuke?"

She did not see Sasuke, but she heard the frustrated, small gush of air that Sasuke passed through his lips. After a small pause in thinking, he found that there was no way of answering without being more clear, though it was a statement he thought was perfectly so already. "You will conceive my heir."

Then her gaze raised more, eyes now holding defiant anger. Yes, that was also a look that Sasuke had gotten use to, though such expressions were usually only saved for that damn Naruto. "And why will I agree to that?"

"You're a woman." He knew that had been the wrong answer, no matter how true he himself felt the declaration was. He could see it in the way that Sakura's shoulders tensed up and how tightly she clutched her spoon.

"Oh, I see," she snapped, though she still managed to keep her voice low inside the restaurant that they sat in. "Because any _woman_ would bend over backwards just to bare the heir of the great Uchiha Sasuke!"

Sasuke frowned at that. Never once had he showed interest in any other woman, yet it seemed to be a theme, almost a joke, for all the towns people to share. The idea was absurd to him, and he found it annoying. He had no idea how that became a topic of discussion, or why people were interested in who he fancied for, but he tried to set it somewhat straight by what he said next, to clarify his train of thought. He did not mean to suggest what she had implied, so he tried to defend the reason of him saying what he had. "Women like children."

Wrong again.

Sakura glared at him, puffing out her cheeks as her grip threatened to break her spoon. Her eyes, hard green diamonds, pierced into Sasuke's. She had no kekkei genkai but Sasuke felt a stab of nervousness regardless, for a split second anyway. There was something about them, whenever she was angry. Perhaps it was her will of fire. "You think, that I'll just _stop_ working, _stop_ going on missions, to stay home and take care of _your_ child?!"

Sasuke let out a long sigh. This conversation was going no where. "This is stupid," he said out loud, leaning back on his booth and turning his gaze else where.

Realizing that she was no longer under Sasuke's attention, Sakura felt herself slide back into her meek bitterness. She was never in Sasuke's attention for very long, even when they were alone like this. She guessed she should have cherished that moment, how ever awful she had found it.

"I only asked you..." Sakura's head shot up when she realized Sasuke was still talking even though his gaze was no longer on her. "Because you said you were in love with me."

"I said that back when I was twelve," Sakura responded flatly.

Sasuke looked actually surprised at that answer, as if he never thought her feelings could change. He didn't think it would change even after all these years, even after his deflection, even after his attempt to kill her. How could he think that? It hadn't changed, but still, he shouldn't have assumed such.

"You know," Sakura said, flattening the small bits of tofu in her soup with her spoon. "Most men propose to a woman before asking her to bare his child."

Sasuke looked bored, resting his cheek against his knuckles, still not looking at her. "Fine. Marry me."

Sakura's cheeks blushed red and she had to contain herself from smashing her fists against the table. She was so frustrated. Beyond frustrated, infuriated, tumultuous! How long had marrying Sasuke been her dream? How many children did she imagine, named and raised in her head? It had been her greatest desire and hope, and here with one stagnant moment, Sasuke had ruined anything wonderful about it. There was no love, nor romance, not the slightest bit of warmth to his cold, constructive personalty. He was only doing this because he wanted to revive his clan. He only chose Sakura because he knew that she was the weakest and likely the most agreeable. Sasuke only thought of things in the way that they could be of the most efficient. That was why he did everything so spotlessly, so impeccable, so perfect. Like an unfeeling machine.

Sakura stood up, and did not care to keep her body from ramming the table. She stared directly into Sasuke's eyes which were watching her after the racket she had just caused. "No!" She turned to leave, but paused, pulling out some yen hastily before throwing it down onto the table. Then she stormed away.


	2. Chapter 2

An: guest (Guest), thank you for your review. I'm not really sure what you want me to get over... I haven't read the ending of the manga, as I only watch the anime, so I'm sorry if their characters are OC. I normally say this in the beginning of my stories, but I thought it was getting a little redundant. I also almost put up a warning that characters could be slightly OC for humor purposes, but something it's kinda like that in the anime so I wasn't sure if it was worth it, and most of of the stuff on this site are already OC anyway.

* * *

Normally, Sasuke liked to be alone when he was upset. Though, he liked to be alone when he was content, too. Being alone was almost always the most optimal thing for him to be. He couldn't proceed in this state at all times, as missions and the success of his goals required other people, as much as he detested them, so he would complete them as fast and as efficient as he could in order to go back to his blissful solitude. He would never admit to ever being lonely, though the fact had been painfully true when he was a child. Only when growing older did he become accustom to and even enjoying reclusiveness. And especially when he was upset.

Whenever Sasuke was angry, it was always because of someone else, or so it had been concluded as such in his mind, for he refused to see himself at fault. This was for his own protection as he was somewhat aware of how delicate his heart was, and how close he could be to just simply losing it at any second, but that thought was buried deep within him, and safe enough to not have any of his concern.

Since there was someone, a particular person or persons upsetting him, leaving their company was usually the fastest way for him to try to resolve his anger, though this normally did nothing to conclude the problem. To find a means to an end, Sasuke would sulk, and think of what he should do to make him feel satisfied about the situation. With no one around, he would have no interruptions in his musing and he would come up with the answer as quickly as able.

Except when it came to him being angry with Sakura, for he had no understanding of her or what he could possibly do to fix any sort of conflict. If Sakura simply no longer felt for him, then he would simply ignore her like all the other females he had ever met. This was a conclusion that he had come up with frequently. It was something he had decided that he would be okay with, though he had simply decided to be okay with _any_ woman's rejection, for why was he to care over something as so silly as another person's opinion of him? He didn't.

But Saukra's mixed signals was why he hadn't simply dismissed her. She was still one to put him on a pedestal, especially in front of Naruto, and though this was embarrassing and obnoxious, he still felt somewhat pleased with her compliments. Sasuke was no longer in great favor of the village, and whatever support he did have tended to come from the female population which he deemed of having no value. It was quite frustrating sometimes for him, but favor or not, it did not effect his performance as a ninja which was really the only thing that mattered. Even though he especially detested his female fan base, he, for some reason, did not group Sakura with them. Perhaps it was because she was his teammate, and because of situations he could not control, he had to establish a somewhat workable relationship with her.

Sakura's affections had started out as annoying, but just like how he had gotten used to solitude, he had gotten accustom to her admiration when being around her. Now, after he had returned, it was still there, he was sure of it, but she was more hesitant and less abrasive. She was more likely to avoid him than to try to be as physically close to him as possible.

And yes, they were teammates, but such a relationship could have been made with anyone. Perhaps he should stop thinking about her as a perspective wife. Karin had been his teammate too, yet there was something about Karin that he just didn't like. In truth, he had kept her around because her obnoxious declaration of love had reminded him of Sakura, and having someone around _that_ devoted to him, he felt was a trusted, smart move. Yet Karen wasn't as appealing as Sakura.

He knew why.

Sakura had tried to kill him.

There was no way she could have, as she was far weaker than him and stupid, letting her feelings getting in the way, causing a potentially costly mistake. But she still tried.

Because he had deserved it.

He had tried to kill both Sakura and Karin on different occasions, but Karin didn't react the same way. Karin had forgiven him, not changing how she felt for him at all. She didn't care. That was something that made Sasuke nervous about her as a person. How could you trust someone who was too blind with lust to see what was good for them, or for others? If Sasuke decided to kill Karin's child, Karin would have probably just let him... If for some reason, he ever let himself fall into the darkness that much again, he would like to know that someone who loved him could put an end to it, whatever it took. Itachi had loved their parents, yet he knew enough to know that he had to stop them.

Karin wasn't like that. She only did things to try and make Sasuke happy, willingly killing whoever as long as he said so. That wasn't what mothers should be like.

Mothers were made to make sacrifices, even if it was of others they loved. They would do anything for their child. Sasuke knew this, for his own mother had been as such. He also knew that Sakura would kill him if it were to save her baby. She would do anything for the sake of the right thing to do. She would protect the innocent, and Sasuke was not innocent. He didn't want someone that would just give up anything and everything for his sake. It wasn't about his sake. It never was.

Sakura was the best potential mother in the village, and this all went against to just giving up and ignoring her. It couldn't be helped. He had to figure out a way to fix things with her.

So a conclusion had been made. He would just simply make Sakura like him again.

But this conclusion... he had no such practice with. He hadn't made Sakura like him in the beginning. It just happened based on her false pretense of him. She didn't know him, that's why he was likable.

Now that she knew him, there were plenty of reasons _not_ to like Sasuke... And just like that, suddenly the blame was on him, and the despair it caused was so strong that he immediately felt unworthy of existing or reproducing. As almost always, he felt Naruto was better than him in all ways, and _especially_ when it came to taking care of Sakura. He found himself the sole reason why the two were not together and why Sakura wasn't happy. The conclusion was to eliminate himself.

Stop it.

His intelligence quickly gained control of his brain once again before following in any acts of suicide. This was only happening because he was alone, thinking about Sakura. This was one of those few occasions when being alone and upset wasn't a good idea, and whenever such occasions came to be, he took to the same action.

Finding Naruto.

Naruto always seemed to have a knack of changing his emotions; content to furious, depression to prideful, admiration to jealously. They were rarely good changes, but any sort of change would keep him from sinking too deep within himself.

Naruto wasn't hard to find. Still being around lunch time, Naruto was of course at Ichiraku's and sitting with the pretty Huuga girl. Sasuke saw them laughing at something that was probably stupid before he approached them. That bugged him, that Naruto could so easily talk to a girl, another thing that he was insanely better at than Sasuke. There had been plenty of times that Sasuke played with the thought of asking Naruto's advice on Sakura, but that would mean he'd have to swallow his pride on the one thing he still had over Naruto. It had always been plain to see that Sakura had preferred him over the blond. Sasuke had so effortlessly won her over no matter how hard Naruto worked to gain her attention. It was the only thing Naruto had lost at, and Sasuke would be damned to admit that he might lose her too.

He needed to beat something up. Something like Naruto.

Naruto didn't notice Sasuke's approach, to wrapped up with the kunoichi. That annoyed him too, since it normally was the easiest thing for Sasuke to gain Naruto's attention. He glared at the Huuga, a strange sort of jealousy in her existence.

Hinata had of course noticed Sasuke, for his presence was hard to miss, and Nartuo noticed the startled look in her face. He finally turned around, his surprise quickly turning into one of great pleasure in seeing his friend.

There Naruto went again, changing Sasuke's emotions from jealousy to pleased. Damn him. "Sasuke-teme!" he said with nothing but great endearment in his voice. "What's up?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, annoyed that Naruto seemed so happy to see him, and irritated with himself that he appreciated it. "Training. You and me."

"Ah, Sasuke! I'm busy right now." He put a hand to his mouth and whispered. "I'm on a date with Hinata-chan," as if the girl could not perfectly hear him.

"Yeah, well your date's over."

"Um, no it's not! Hinata-chan still has half a bowl of ramen left. She doesn't eat as fast as me."

Hinata blushed as she looked down at her bowl in shame. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun. I can wrap this to go."

"No!" Naruto put a hand on Hinata's shoulder. "Don't let Sasuke push you around!" He turned to Sasuke. "Bad Sasuke!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, glaring at nothing. "Fine. After then."

"I promised Hinata I would spend the whole day with her. And I never go back on-"

"Shut up," Sasuke snapped, knowing whenever Naruto used that line he meant it and there was no way of convincing Naruto otherwise.

"Um, Naruto-kun, if you would like, you could train with Sasuke-kun and I could... watch..." Hinata nervously played with her fingers.

"That sounds like a great idea!" Naruto shouted at the same time Sasuke thought it as a terrible one. "But are you sure? I don't want you to get bored or anything."

"Oh no! I would... like to cheer you on!"

Naruto grinned like a maniac.

"B-but please, be careful."

"Aw, don't worry about that! It's just Sasuke. I could spar him in my sleep!" Naruto was rewarded for the comment with a smack tothe back of the head from Sasuke.

"Are you sure she's not going to be a distraction?" Sasuke acussed.

"I will be one hundred percent focused," Naruto promised. "But we're still waiting for Hinata to finish eating before we go."

* * *

"Dammit, Naruto! Pay attention!" Sasuke shouted as he was only just barely able to pull his punch to miss hitting Naruto in the face with his chidori.

"Relax, Sasuke," he heard Naruto's voice behind him, realizing he had almost killed one of Naruto's clones before he successively blocked the real Naruto's attacked. "You seem extra pissy and paranoid today."

"Maybe I don't appreciate that you're not fighting me with your full head."

"I'm giving you everything I got like I always do!"

Sasuke's sharingan flitted over to where Hinata was standing with another one of Naruto's clones. Naruto was afraid she'd get too nervous watching the fight, so his clone self was there to distract her and keep her at ease. "Part of you is still with that dumb girl."

Naruto hit Sasuke back a little harder than necessary, and the move was less thought out for Sasuke easily countered it and put Naruto on the defense. "I'm doing you a huge favor, Sasuke! You did interrupt my date."

"I don't see the point of wasting that much time," he grunted as he attacked Naruto again.

"Well I actually have feelings, and sometimes they need a little affection from pretty girls to help me sleep at night."

Saskue had noticed Naruto's clone had put his arm around Hinata. "Looks like your clone is getting a littler too touchy feely with your girl."

"So? He's basically me. He's saving me some time. I'm trying to get to first base with Hinata, but it's taking forever so I let the clones do some of the flirting."

"That's a waste of a forbidding jutsu," Sasuke rolled his eyes. He was even more annoyed now that Naruto was having enough breath to talk about such nonsense. He wanted Naruto to stop talking and fight! "What if your clones get farther than 'Real You'?"

"When they return I have their memories so they are me."

Sasuke got Naruto in a lock with his sword. "Wouldn't actual experience be better than just some memory? I mean, let's say that one of your clones has the chance to go all the way with Hinata. Him being you, he is sure not going to give up on that chance. Then it would be the clone to take her virginity and you'll just have the memory."

Naruto took a moment to think about that and only nearly missed Sasuke's punch to the head. Sasuke couldn't help notice that Naruto had dismissed his clone, even as it was in mid sentence talking to Hinata. Sasuke smirked.

"Why are you such an ass? Like all the time?" Sasuke didn't answer as he attempted to get a hit on Naruto. "Is something bothering you? You're not fighting as well as usual."

Naruto was right. Sasuke took a breath trying to get himself more together.

"Is this about Sakura?"

"Why would anything have to do with Sakura?"

"Well, I don't think you're mad at me, and the only other person you ever hang out with is her, so what else could it be?"

Sasuke didn't answer.

"And since you're not answering-"

"I'm trying to fucking kill you!"

"I was going to call it a draw soon anyway, because I have to walk Hinata home before it gets dark."

"This is unbelievable," Sasuke said as he gave up on his attack, releasing his sharingan. "The girl is making you soft. Whatever then."

"Don't be jealous Sasuke-teme, I still love you most," Naruto poked Sasuke in the arm, and Sasuke's sharingan immediately flared up. The combination of that and his already death glare made him truly scary to look at.

"Don't say shit like that," he threatened.

Naruto carried on unfazed. "After I take Hinata home did you want to talk about it?"

"Not in particularly..."

"Is it something embarrassing?" Naruto asked sounding a littler too hopeful.

Saskue then made an another attack, restarting their spar which luckily Naruto seemed to have predicted as he blocked. "I'm just asking, because if you refuse to tell me, I'm going to have to ask Sakura. You're already an ass. If it's bad, she's going to make you look even more than an ass."

"Don't talk to Sakura," Sasuke demanded, which Naruto took as an answer.

"Cool, so I'll talk to you about this later tonight!" and he leapt into the air, landing beside a startled Hinata.


	3. Chapter 3

When Sasuke answered the door it was only because he had completely forgotten Naruto's promise, otherwise he would have ignored the doorbell. "Oh, right..." he breathed, staring at Naruto's blank face as the other boy stuffed it with a vending machine sandwich.

"I brought sandwiches," he said with his mouth full. "I wasn't sure if this was gonna be some sort of deep shit that was going to involve comfort food."

"How are those even comfort food? And no."

"I can't cook very well," Naruto admitted. "And this was on the way." He pushed past Sasuke before Sasuke had the chance to slam the door in Naruto's face, and then Naruto kicked off his shoes before heading to the living room where he was undoubtedly getting crumbs all over the place. "So where are you and Sakura at this stage?" He plopped onto the couch.

"We aren't. Sakura rejected me."

Naruto suddenly went into a coughing fit, bits of already chewed bread shooting into all directions to never be found again. He put his hands to his throat as if he could be choking, but Sasuke made no attempt to help him or ask if he was okay, even as he fell off the couch, onto his knees and eventually his face.

"Please be dead," Sasuke muttered.

Naruto gasped in a giant breath. "WHAT?"

Sasuke said nothing, hands on his hips as he stared at the sandwich and all its crumbs now inhabiting his cushion.

"There's no fucking way! No fucking way! Are you sure? Like how?"

"She said no. No is a pretty clear answer."

"No it's not," Naruto said holding up a finger. "Was it like, 'Oh, no Sasuke, stop it you dirty boy...!' as you fuck the shit out of her because that's like the opposite of no."

Sasuke eyes widened. "Of course not! We don't-! What the-! Is you head always in the gutter? I don't have time for this."

"Oh sorry. I was just assuming you guys have been fucking since I haven't seen Sakura in a while. I was gone for those two long missions I had and the both of you have been mostly in the village at the same time, not to mention that one mission that the two of you went on together last month. I figured you guys got close without me around."

"Well don't assume."

"But you guys were dating right?"

"I don't think I want to talk about this with you anymore, Naruto. You should go home."

"You totally were! I saw you at that same restaurant all the time! They're dates. Weren't they?"

Sasuke bit his lip as he turned his gaze away, thinking of an answer.

"I mean how can you not know? Who invited who?"

"I did," Sasuke said impatiently.

"What was said? How did you invite her?"

"We don't really talk," Sasuke admitted.

"What do you mean? She just followed you into the restaurant without any of you speaking?"

Sasuke cocked his head and lifted a shoulder. "Pretty much how it happened. I was hungry after the mission and too tired to cook. Then it became a habit."

"No... You had to say something."

"I said her name. So that she would follow me inside."

Naruto was looking at Sasuke with wide eyes.

"What!?"

"You're supposed to be like, 'Sakura, you wanna go on a date?' and then she's supposed to be like, "Oh okay, if you're paying."'"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Naruto. "That sounds a little too familiar..."

Naruto opened his mouth but nothing came out. He tried again. "Well who paid for dinner?"

"I did." There was a pause. "But she always puts money on the table before she leaves."

"Sasuke, that means she doesn't see it at as a date!"

"Then what the hell does she see it as?! I still pay! I've been saving her money for her. I had planned to give it back... eventually."

Naruto shook his head at Sasuke. "Though I am a little surprise that she offered to go dutch. She never offered at any of the times she went out with me."

Sasuke's attention shot to Naruto, eyes flailing up in shock and anger. "She's gone out with your more than once?! And you paid for her dinner?!"

Now Naruto actually did look scared. "They weren't romantic dates!"

"But romantic enough for you to pay for her! How many?! How much?!"

"What?"

Sasuke dug into his pocket for his wallet, taking all the money that he had in it out and throwing it at the small table that sat in front of the couch. "If I pay you, it's like I paid for it."

"You're being a little ridiculous now, but I accept because dating is expensive," Naruto replied as he leaned forward to take the money.

Sasuke dug his fingers into the hair on either side of his head "She _likes_ you!" he said.

"No she doesn't," Naruto said calmly and positive of his statement.

"Yes she does." Sasuke sunk down to his knees, forehead resting against the floor.

"No she doesn't," Naruto repeated. He gazed at Sasuke wallowing in despair for a moment. "Whoa, Sasuke." He got up from the couch and walked over to the other boy, kneeling to be at his level. "You must like Sakura a lot."

"That's not it." Sasuke lifted his head. "I just don't like it when things don't go the way I expect them. I'm over it."

"Here, eat an egg salad sandwich. It's comfort food." Naruto stuck an unopened one in the direction of Sasuke's face.

Sasuke slapped it to the ground. "I don't want that!" he snapped. He sat up, crossing his legs. "I'm not upset. There are plenty of other women for me to choose from."

Naruto was staring at him like he didn't believe him at all. "Let me tell you something Sasuke, about me and Sakura."

"I don't think I want to hear this."

"I'm so..." Naruto held up his hands. " _deep_ within the friendzone with her, that I think it's the deepest friendzone in the history of all friendzoning. She tells me more things than she tells Ino. And trust me, I've learned some things about the menstrual cycle that I've never ever wanted to know."

"It doesn't matter," Sasuke said. "I don't care what you think your relationship with Sakura is. Sakura doesn't like me anymore, and it's fine. I get it."

Naruto slapped Sasuke's cheek. "Bastard! Don't ever give up!"

"You did."

"I didn't give up. I just found someone better."

Sasuke grunted. "Whatever."

"Don't. Be. Jealous." Naruto said, poking Sasuke in the arm with each word.

"I'm not jealous! What is there for me to be even jealous of?" Sasuke almost regretted the rhetorical question as there were so many things he was jealous of. He was basically made up of jealousy, especially when it came to Naruto.

"That I have a girlfriend."

"She's not even officially your girlfriend yet."

"See, you pointing things like that out just make it more obvious. But if you also got a girlfriend, then I wouldn't feel like I had to choose who to spend my free time with."

"I didn't invite you here. You didn't have to come. I didn't want you to!"

Naruto gave Sasuke's shoulder a squeeze. "Are you sure you don't want me to talk to her."

"Yes. I am completely sure."

"Because there's got to be some sort of misunderstanding. It just doesn't make sense."

Sasuke stared dully at Naruto. "Maybe it has something to do with my leaving, the countless crimes I have committed, my attempt to kill her and my threat to destroy her home and everything she loves."

"Shut up Saskue. She loves you."

"Love can't forgive everything."

"Things will work out. Stop being depressed about this."

"I'm not. Is this conversation over yet?"

"I guess so, if you want. You can always talk about things with me, you know, right?" Naruto got up and went back to the couch to retrieve his partially eaten sandwich. "Because we're friends." Then he whispered. "Forever..."

"Yea, just leave. I have things to do." Naruto grinned, pleased that Sasuke didn't deny their friendship like he normally did, before bidding him goodbye and leaving.


End file.
